


Together on the Sand

by gomushroom



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-10-12 02:54:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10480530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gomushroom/pseuds/gomushroom
Summary: For Ohno, home is any island with Aiba (and his scuba shop) on it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 2014 je_otherworlds for one of the greatest prompts ever, of food stall and shaved ice stand. Yay! 
> 
> Title is from that one song I loved a long time ago, because it's basically what this is all about (along with 風, but that should be obvious). This fic was planned way before Hawaii Blast and then _Pikanchi Double_ and Hawaii trip happened, turning this a bit mellow midway; I, of course, have no regret whatsoever. And to end this note, allow me to holler this one out: wait for me Izu Oshima~!!

“Here you go,” Ohno says with a smile, lighting Karin-chan’s face even more, as he hands a large cup of lemon-ice-shaved decorated with pointed bear’s ears to her. She is too fascinated with her finished order to even say thank you properly and Ohno’s smile wider as she dramatically turns and walks carefully back to her awaiting mother by the next stand, holding the shaved-ice cup like the most precious thing in the world.

He doesn’t have time to enjoy their reaction; Ari-chan and Kohei-kun have already shifting restlessly on next of the queue line, staring expectantly at him. Ohno chuckles, “Okay, okay, I’ll make yours right now. Two special cups coming up!” He turns back to his ice-shave machine and focuses on the next batch: two large cup of strawberry-ice-shaved with white chocolate flakes and extra syrup.

One cup after another and then more cups after more others, Ohno keeps on going steady. The limited space of the stall doesn’t halt his movements with him switching focus from the ice-shaving machine, to the stacks of empty cups, back to the awaiting costumers, glancing toward the front stall of goldfish pond and finds nothing of Aiba, and then back to the ice-shaving machine. He finds the rhythm comforting enough and is happy with it, at least, until lunch break comes later within the hour.

*

Jun appears on his stall quietly, looking murderous, hovering between Hon-chan and his mother. When Jun finally speaks, it was much closer to a growl than a hello-nice-work-so-far kind of greeting. “Where’s Aiba-chan?”

“Oh, Matsumoto-san, hello.” Hon-chan’s mother tries to greet him.

Jun only nods without breaking his stare at Ohno and Hon-chan quietly takes a step closer to his mother.

“Matsujun, you’re scaring Hon-chan,” Ohno says, after a short glance at Jun. Ignoring the question simply because the man will definitely have more to say, Ohno adds some more chocolate sprinkles on Hon-chan’s ice cup in silent and full concentration.

Jun doesn’t seem to be bothered with waiting as long as he could stand there and glare. Ohno finishes the order, takes the money and waves goodbye to Hon-chan and his mother. “You are frightening my costumers off.” He finally turns to Jun. “What’s up?”

“Where’s Aiba-chan?” Jun repeats his question. “Or just to cut to the chase, will you take Sho? Like, just take him away from me and keep him here, so he won’t be causing any more real damage to all my supplies.”

“I don’t know where Aiba-chan is and I’m completely fine on my own,” Ohno says with a shrug. “What did he do this time?”

Jun sighs and glares, before silently starting to gesture his exasperation with both hands.

“Okay,” Ohno says, still at lost at what to do with Jun. Fortunately, he then spots Aiba turning from the corner and points out to the direction, so Jun could also channel his complaint directly to the man. “Aiba-chan!”

“I was just with Kaneda-san and she was excitedly talking about—“ Aiba says, before stopping mid-sentence. He takes one look over Jun who has his hands on his waist and a sullen pout on his face. He then turns to Ohno who points at Jun, making sure the main concern in the conversation is clear. “What happened?”

Jun huffs his irritation. “Sho happened. Cotton candy machine. Destroyed to pieces. Was trying to help. Give him cabbage duties. I don’t know what got into me. My kitchen is ruined. Can someone just kill him and dispose the body far faraway from here? Preferably now. Thanks.”

“Matsujun!” A muffled sound, sound suspiciously like Sho’s voice, can be heard from the next stall. “I can still hear you!”

Aiba asks Ohno. “You’re okay here?”

“I’m good. Just please don’t bring Sho-kun around,” Ohno replies.

“You are all evil!”

“You should see the state of the poor cotton-candy machine,” Jun says. “I doubt you’ll stay nice to Sho-kun after that.”

Aiba frowns. “That bad?”

“Even worse.”

“It’s not _that_ bad!” Sho shouts from the next stall in desperation. And they all three exchange glances before breaking into grins. “And you must know, Matsujun, I’ve been eavesdropping the conversation since the beginning.”

Jun turns to shout back at the canvas wall separating the stalls. “It doesn’t matter. And I said don’t touch anything else on my kitchen! Keep your hands to yourself, at least till I’m back.”

There’s a small scream, but they all just shrugs. From the sound of it, it does seem terrible but Sho can handle terrible. Or if he can’t, Aiba will be around the next stall in few minutes.

“Let’s go then,” Aiba says with a sigh, already leading Jun to go back to his stall. “And Oh-chan, you should take a break. Put up the lunch break sign and grab some of Jun’s yakisoba. Or Nino packed some onigiri, if you want that.”

Ohno nods. He considers serving few more costumers but five minutes goes without anyone dropping by. He closes down the stall, put up the sign and walk across the small path to the goldfish stall to meet Nino.

He finds Nino on a stare-down match with two kids. Ohno walks pass them and nods at Ari-chan and Kohei-kun by the goldfish tank. He could hear both of them whining about the prize. "Nino-san, these fishes are too hard to catch."

Nino doesn’t even roll his eyes. "Well, I wouldn’t be handing you the prize easily. You do need to work on it."

The kids are both concentrating on trying to scoop the goldfishes and complaining at the same time: Ohno finds this amazing. How could they do that? "Oh, come on, Nino-san. It's a cheap prize after all."

"You can say that after you get 20 of those fishes in your bowl under a minute." And to emphasize his point, Nino dips his hand on the pool and sloshes it a bit.

Koheoi-kun lets out a groan while Ari-chan keeps her concentration sharp enough while still trying to persuade Nino. "But, Nino-san, the sign didn’t say anything about 20 fishes."

"I said so. Just now. " Nino grins. “I don’t see 20 fishes in either of your or Kohei-kun’s bowl, guys.”

Ohno chuckles at the conversation. He stands by the pool, seeing dots of orange and black swarming around the water, and greets Nino. “Aiba-chan said you have some onigiri for lunch.”

“Only if you pay for them,” Nino says.

“But he doesn’t say anything about paying.”

Nino looks up from the pool and grins at Ohno. The man might be up for teasing small kids but Ohno is sure Nino’s having as much as fun, considering they are not indoor. “Fine. I’ll put it on your tab. Red bento boxes on the back. And don’t touch the big ones. That’s for Sho-chan.”

“Okay,” Ohno says, as he walks to the back of the stall. “Thanks, Nino.”

He finds a lunch box full of umeboshi onigiri. He could still hear the squabble in the front but he tunes off the rest of the conversation. He was on his second onigiri when Aiba shows up from the back, greeting him with a smile.

“I managed to put Sho on the front reception,” Aiba says, settling himself next to Ohno. “I’m here to escape from Matsujun’s deathly stare and Sho’s non-stop complaint.”

Ohno nods, gesturing the opened red bento boxes still filled with onigiris. “Nino said he’ll put these on my tab. Go ahead then. Just not the big one ‘cause that’s for Sho.”

“I love that the huge onigiri joke is still running.” Aiba inspects the content of the boxes and then takes a small one. “I actually wanted to have some yakisoba but I don’t think Matsujun is in the mood to give me a serving.”

They then enjoy their silence as Aiba takes another onigiri and Ohno slowly taking a bite after bite of his. They stay silent even after they finish their lunch, sitting side by side on their own stools. Ohno’s left shoulder bumps Aiba’s right one first. Aiba turns—with a tired smile—and bumps back.

There’s music from down the row of stalls. Someone’s putting a cheerful song Ohno couldn’t recognize on the loud speaker. There’s some kids squealing in delight as they run around the park by the front of the park. And there’s occasionally loud applause: Ohno’s best guess is that it comes from the arcade stall.

Ohno is smiling back at Aiba, words just on the tip of his tongue— _thank you for this year, too_ —when he notices a movement just about the supply table.

“And here you two sharing dopey eyes when everyone else is at work,” Nino says, hands folded and eyes knowing.

Aiba doesn’t turn away from Ohno. The remark only intensifies Aiba’s smile, “I worked since early morning and I’m enjoying my lunch break. Go away, Nino.”

Ohno chuckles at that and finally breaks their gaze to turn to Nino. “Put his lunch into my tab, too.”

“I will then,” Nino says as he goes back to the front of the stall. “And if you are finished with each other, perhaps you can make time to consider the fair queue in front of your ice stall, Oh-chan.”

They exchange more chuckles, but Nino does have a point.

“I guess I should go back.”

“Back to your popular stall. You have steady queue since morning, it’s a hot day,” Aiba says.

Ohno beams a proud smile. “And unlike Nino, I treat my costumers nicely.”

They both can hear Nino’s faint remark “I heard that!” from the front stall and share another laughter before going back to their job for the day.

*

“In my defense, I’ve been using that machine for five years now. There has never been any complication whatsoever,” Sho says, slouching further to the counter on the far left, holding his nearly empty beer glass.

They are lined up in the bar since Nino doesn’t allow any of them to use the table— _you all are not going to be sober enough to clean up and I have to open up tomorrow as usual, so forget it_ —and only serves them salty chips. At least their beer glasses keep on getting generous refills.

“Still, you were the one who ruined it,” Jun says, from the far left.

“In my other defense, long before I am in charge of that lovely machine, someone has used it for at least ten years. It’s on its limit already. No wonder it decided to break down today.”

Nino takes Sho’s glass to give him the refill in silence but not before giving an accusing glance.

Jun takes another sip and continues. “But there’s no such defense that could justify the wreckage you caused.”

Sho pouts harder while Ohno and Aiba, trapped in the middle, lean against their high chair to give way to the argument in place.

Jun rolls his eyes. “Don’t give me that look. I was there when it blew up to pieces.”

“The machine didn’t blow up,” Sho says with exasperation. “That’s just exaggeration!”

“Ari-chan told me that it was quite an event,” Nino says, returning with a full glass of beer for Sho. “Or Kaneda-san couldn’t believe that it was broken already. The machine was one of her precious favorites.”

This time Sho turns to Nino, sloshing the beer and prompting Ohno to slide his napkins toward Sho. “You cannot blame me!”

“No one blaming you.”

“Thanks, Satoshi-kun, but I’m still under the impression that these guys think otherwise.”

“I’m not blaming you for the cotton candy machine,” Jun says. “I was talking about my kitchen. You destroyed it. I know you probably were looking for some outlet for your frustration, but taking it out on my kitchen definitely was not acceptable.

“Fine. For that I apologize,” Sho says. “But not for the cotton candy machine. Just not for the cotton candy machine.”

Seeing that the worse has passed, Aiba finally speaks up. “This is such a great night and we’re spending it here indoor, nursing our beers like old men, and talking trash about the festival.”

Sho hiccups on his slouch, and Ohno pats him on the back. Jun chuckles on his glass before setting it down and moves on the salty chips.

Nino shrugs. “I did vote for us to head straight to the beach but you guys wanted to crash here.”

“You just want us out of here. Sooner than later.” Jun says.

“True. But I thought we’re going to the beach. What happened to that tradition?” Nino turns to Aiba with the question.

“Well, forecast said it’s going to rain tonight. It’s safe to stay indoor anyway. And it’s not often we are getting chips and free beers here,” Aiba says with a huge grin.

“You all are going to ruin business, I know it,” Nino says, taking the empty chips bowl to get another refills.

Jun slides his empty glass in front of him. “We’re not. You’re going to put out new menus and overcharge them to make up for the loss.”

“You _do_ know me so well, Jun-kun,” Nino says, putting the bowl in front of Jun instead of Aiba. “Here’s your refill then.”

Jun smiles at Nino and then turns to find three pairs of eyes watching their little talk with different degrees of amusement. “What?”

“We haven’t had a toast yet and you’re already sharing bedroom eyes.”

“Aiba-chan,” Nino says in soft warning.

Sho’s face lights up at the mention of toast. “Yeah, let’s do that. You need to go soon, right?”

Jun checks his watch and nods from the other side of the table. “Toast now but one of you should stop drinking because you’d have driving-me-to-the-harbour duty.”

Nino glances at Sho who doesn’t make any movement aside from holding out his glass on his outstretched hand. “I’ll take care of this old man here. Someone needs to refill his beer and start serving hard liquor after midnight.”

“Yay,” Sho says.

Ohno keeps his hand on Sho’s shoulder. “I’ll go with you, Aiba-chan.”

“Thanks. We still have 30 minutes though.” Jun says with grin. “Give me more beer, Ninomiya.”

“I think I need to remind you that you’re still going to pay for every single thing you consume on this premises.”

“Put it on our tab,” Ohno says with a grin and an empty glass.

“I sure will.” Nino aims a steely stare to each of them just to make sure his point is delivered. “Now, that we have that in the clear, who wants snacks other than salty sticks?”

“Let’s have the toast first. For another year gone by.”

*

Ohno rolls the window down on the drive back to the city. The air is humid with no wind; it definitely is going to rain soon. Beside him, Aiba drives smoothly in the dark and empty road, humming something Ohno couldn’t place.

“Want another drink?” Aiba says, as he waits for the light to turn green.

The idea doesn’t sound bad at all but there’s still the car to consider. “Are you sure you can still drive? It’d be dangerous.”

“I have an idea,” Aiba says, “how about I park the car at the shop and then we can have few cans of beer before we walk our drunken selves back home?”

“Okay.”

Within half an hour, Ohno finds himself sitting on the porch of Aiba’s shop along with the owner. There’s no moon, there’s only breeze, and they are sitting together again in silence.

Ohno is itching for a cigarette, but he doesn’t say anything and is steadily sipping his beer instead. He can hear Aiba’s breathing beside him in addition of the sound of waves that break on the far shoreline.

“I miss this,” Aiba says with a sigh.

And Ohno hasn’t expected that, especially when he is still in the process of wrapping himself in the right mood to start talking. He feels that he was the one who wanted to say a lot of things, to do anything else than just silently seeping his beers but Aiba beats him to it, as usual.

“The beach? But you live here.”

“Not the beach,” Aiba says, turning his head to give Ohno a soft smile. “ _This_.”

This could mean a lot. This is the exact moment they are sitting side by side by the sand, their hips touching in the most comfortable warmth, and their knees hugged just right, slouching just right to take in the night, the beach, the breeze, the wave, and the person next to them. And this is what matters most now.

Ohno clears his throat and asks, “You’re still bringing it up, aren’t you?”

Aiba doesn't turn to him. He takes his time instead, leaving Ohno waiting for the answer just a little while longer.

“I’d be lying if I said I’m fine with everything,” Aiba says, “And I am sad, I couldn’t walk down the road to meet you in Nino’s bar, or spending time idly in your basement, but still. You need to achieve something, and that something isn’t thing that exists here on this island. You should go, chase that dream. I’ll be here, chasing my own.”

And then he hears a soft hiccup from his side and turns so quick, Ohno couldn’t help to roll his eyes. Why did he miss this one important point. “You’re drunk, aren’t you?”

The blinding grin Aiba sent his way confirms it. “I guess so. So, let’s walk back to my place and be caught in the rain on the way?”

Ohno stares at the offered hand offered before looking up with a smile. He takes the warm hand and holds it lightly. He then sets his eyes on the far horizon, concentrating on dark sky beyond, on the dark sky, on a humid night. Aiba is right there beside him, offering drunken words, and a single drop of hot tear running down his cheek. He wants, no, he needs, to be here, here with Aiba.

“Let’s.”

***

“I’ll close up for tonight,” Aiba says, walking toward the shop door as both his parents are taking the new empty oxygen tanks back to their car.

“See you tomorrow, Masaki,” his mother replies, letting the shop door closing behind her. “And don’t forget to grab something for dinner.”

“I will. Drive safe, you guys.”

The door closes behind his parents and Aiba is there left in the store, finally, alone.

Today has been terribly hectic—even though it’s in the middle of April. They were having three groups from Akita who were heavily interested in night dive. They’ll be busy for the next week. The schedule is slotted. It’s not actually the best time to dive at this time of year but they were not complaining as long as their costumers are willing to take the extra measure of safety. They would need to monitor the weather for few days—giving Aiba some extra work. And his parents need to come down to the store and giving a hand because of the complication—three groups are a lot. Plus, his mother also needs to coordinate with the inn they are staying, since they are coming in a package deal and Aiba cannot handle this alone; they are going on summer mode. Everyone is needed in the store.

He packs the backpacks for the next week, crossing off the list he and his parents had agreed on in the afternoon. Most of the equipment has already been available, but if they are going for a night dive, they’re not taking any chances. All the additional equipment has been flown from Hachijou; the arrangement is done now. He takes his time, slowly checking and double-checking the list, going through the back room to settle several sets of equipment back in front of the store for easy access. He’s sure that they will go through the list again but for now, he’s satisfied with the preparation. He turns the lights off, checking up the windows and when he’s satisfied, grabs his backpack and sets up to lock the store.

The night is hot and windy. The beach on the far end is not as inviting as the summer night beach but the familiar breeze welcomes him as he steps out the shop.

He doesn’t go straight to the car; his back hurts—from hefting too many crates they unloaded in the morning. He wants nothing but a long hot bath and chilled beers. He’d throw something to the pan later and keep his promise to his mom about dinner. He sits down on the small chairs they set up in front of the store and drops his backpack on his side; he sits for a while.

The spring has yet brought any of the heat waves but he knows it’s coming anytime soon. There must be a few typhoons coming up their way within months, but for now, for tonight, everything is silent, calm, and serene. He sits still for a few more minutes, just to be still and feel himself breathing. He pulls off his phone, twiddles with his inbox for while before decides to compose a new message.

_The beach is so serene tonight. I miss you guys. :)_

Aiba smiles as he presses send. Not needing any instant replies, it’s just something he needs to let out, he grabs his backpack, heads to his car and then goes home.

*

The very first reply comes from Nino. He’s just getting inside his apartment, still finding his way around the kitchen, since the few boxes he just transferred from the warehouse back in his parents’ house are still littering the hallway.

 _Gross!_ Before few lines below there’s a pithy question. _Nightcap?_

Aiba chuckles as he reaches for his own fridge, hitting the reply button with his other hand. _Tom nihgt perhaps?_ Nino’s going to grumble over the text but that’s expected. Aiba has no intention to go out again tonight, even if it’s just a few blocks walk to Nino’s bar. But tomorrow will be a good day; he’ll handle all the complaints tomorrow and surely Nino will have more to say.

The second, which brings him heart-warming surprise and amusement was from Jun _and_ Sho.

_Wow! Nice timing, Aiba-chan! Was just with Sho not an hour ago! Fancy office retreat brought him down here and had given him some good onsen service! That lucky asshole! Bet he’s flatfaced now, thanks to all those free sake! Bet he twisted that receipt for a reimbursement! :D_

Talking about good timing, he grins as he sips his beer. He doesn’t miss the liberal amount of exclamation marks and scrolls down further to get to the end of the text. _I miss you, too. :)_

Nice.

Aiba finishes his beer slowly before going to wash his face right there by the kitchen sink, blindly grabbing hand towels as droplets of water running down his neck. He suddenly feels pleasantly tired, mostly beer buzzing in his head. He’s still missing a reply—it’s not very late at night, and perhaps he should’ve been waiting for the reply, which he knows will come eventually. His mother’s word on dinner rings dimly on his mind but Aiba is already walking straight toward his bedroom, absently stripping down and leaving his clothes all around the hallway before hitting his bed facedown.

He’ll reply Ohno’s text later when it comes.

*

Aiba was walking back to the shop from a late lunch the next day when his phone rings. On the display, Sho’s stupid photo is smirking back to him. Aiba stops his stride with a short chuckle before answering. “Sho-chan, I was hoping that massive hangover hasn’t killed you. You’re alive!”

A deep groan comes from the other end of the line. “Huh. Jun has reported all the filthy details then.”

“Sadly, not filthy enough. Is there anything else I should know, aside from you’re being a loud drunk and a horrible snorer?”

“I’m filing an official complaint to that tattletale jerk’s hotel,” Sho says. Sound of chimes could be heard faintly on the background. “And if this is the treatment I’ve gotten after all the nods, winks, and shoves I gave the head of my department, after all I’ve done to secure my company trip to his hotel, after everything that happened that night—”

Aiba tunes off Sho’s ranting, taking his phone off his ear for a short while to cross the empty street.

Sho’s still going on full rant mode when Aiba puts attention back to the call. “—believe me, I’m going to burn his ear with stream of complaints after I hang up on you because you are not helping. Not helping at all.”

“Is your train running late?”

A deep sigh comes from the other end of the line this time. “Worse than just late. My schedule today is all ruined. I need to go back to Tokyo by the afternoon but they cancelled the morning train and here I am stuck on the station with a grade A hangover.”

“Get some more coffee, Sho-chan, even if you’re already gulping gallons of them this morning. You’d feel chirper.”

“Yeah, I know. I probably will do that after this. Aiba-chan, I’m calling to—“

“Hmm?” Aiba reaches the shop, and now tries to find his keys on one of his many pockets cargo shorts.

“You probably think I’m calling to rant things off at you, but I’m not.”

“Hmm.”

“I can’t wait for September, too.”

“Hmm. And I can say you’re not missing anything much. It’s going to be slow till summer here. Plus there’re few typhoons warning for the whole island already for next month. We’re getting ready for stuff. The usual.” And since he’s not feeling sentimental enough in broad daylight, Aiba changes the course of the talk. “Anyway, thanks for calling back, Sho-chan, especially taking the time on your tight schedule.”

Sho seems to agree to do so, talking about his hometown will only prolong the sentiments, and not going to get anyone any good. “Oh, shut up. I bet you’d be telling Nino that my hung over rant, adding more flavour to whatever Jun told you later.”

“That’s my plan for dinner.”

“Dammit. Tell Nino to also stop buggering me with his nonsensical cutesy emails while you’re at it then. I had enough of those from Jun.”

“I will. Take care of Satoshi for us, will you.”

“I’ll do my best. You know, speaking of him, he wasn’t actually answering my calls the last time I tried to contact him. Perhaps I need to stop by at his apartment within next week.

“Again, thank you for fitting all these pesky details into your airtight schedule.”

“Again, shut up.” Sho’s laugh is warm and deep. “I’d try to get that coffee. I feel better now though, it must be the talk.”

“Or it must be the thought of the beach. Take care, Sho-chan.”

“You too. Talk to you later.”

*

In the dark shadows of his apartment, Ohno stares at Aiba’s text for a full twenty minutes.

The smell of dry paint still lingers on the room; he’s tried to open the small windows but that didn’t do anything to lessen his nausea. The image of beach slowly comes together in mind. _Serene_ might not be the right word, now that he thinks about it: strong wind blowing on right into his face, all the grains of sand that worm into his shoes, his shirt plastered to his damp back, humid and salty air welcomes him when he reaches the shore.

 _With Aiba by his side_.

With Aiba by his side, he’d reach the shore and there’s no other place he’d rather be tonight. With Aiba on his side, he’d not sit on the corner of his small apartment, breathing paint-smelled air, on the verge of tears, and missing the beach so much.

He taps the screen of his phone, rereading Aiba’s text message again. Exhaustion washes over him, now in full force. How long has he been working? How long has he been ignoring the incoming calls? Why didn’t he realize Aiba’s been trying to reach him, or them, sooner? He could only think of million other things he needed to do today but none of them is a priority at the moment. He heaves himself up, slowly inching his way toward his bedroom. Without a heed of his paint-smelling shirt, he climbs on his unmade bed after he shucked off his jeans. He curls on the center on the bed and rereads the text again.

 _i miss you, aiba-chan_ , he wanted to type yet he settles for something more subdued, something more like their usual conversation: he takes a blurry picture of their framed picture on his night stand and types: _i miss it._

Without waiting for slight dim ray of sunshine to filter through the dark curtain of his bedroom windows like he usually did, Ohno curls into a tight ball and lets exhaustion takes him to sleep.

*

 

“You know, you should come down to the summer fair town meeting once in a while,” Aiba says, pointing his spoon at Nino as he slowly finishing the chicken curry rice the man has served for dinner this time.

There’s a loud huff from behind the bar before Nino appears carrying his own plate. He settles himself to stand behind the bar counter, with a spoon ready, and begins digging in. “I don't understand why you need countless meeting to arrange something that will happen one weekend. We’ve been doing the summer fair without any glitch for as long as I can remember. That means we’re good at it already; why bother with meetings?”

“Because we need to keep it running all smooth,” Aiba says. He sets his spoon down and reaches for his water. “All the meetings are necessary.”

“It’s still mid April, Aiba-chan. September is like, five months ahead.”

“Preparation is necessary. And we’re going through everything slowly, making sure we’re not forgetting anything. Plus we can keep up with the update everyone shared on the meeting.”

“Too slow and crowded for me.”

“I’ve been told that you like it slow,” Aiba says, “ _and_ crowded.”

Nino rolls his eyes, as he visibly trying to fight off coughing his food back on the plate. “Well, I don’t know that this meeting was going to discuss my active sex life.”

Aiba only persistently stares straight at Nino. They’ve been doing this conversation for as long as he can remember and he knows very well Nino is going to deflect his effort anyway. But rude is another thing. “It could be if you keep on insisting.”

“Whatever. I’m still not joining the boring meeting,” Nino replies, firmly this time.

“Your loss then,” Aiba says with a shrug; it was worth the try. “Just so you know, Kaneda-san often brings her infamous glazed milk buns to the meeting.” Aiba adds. “Anyone’s in the meeting are welcomed to take one or two from the basket.”

Nino looks conflicted at the information. “Unfair.”

“Yeah. I know that’d get you. Just think about it. The whole meeting will bore you to tears. You can make a remark on every single slow and boring thing. But I will be there to wipe your tears and give you my milk buns.”

“You sound like a pervert. And if you think that you’d be able to bribe me with several milk buns, you are mistaken. I don’t think that—“ Nino stops abruptly when he notices Aiba is frowning upon his phone after the incoming message beep. His tone softens considerably. “What is it?”

Aiba doesn’t answer, only scrolling back on forth on the short message. He glances up to find Nino’s already leaning over the counter to see his phone display. Aiba takes a deep sigh before passing his phone to Nino and showing Ohno’s text and the blurry picture of their framed photo.

“He worries me,” Aiba says.

“We all worry all the same, Aiba-chan.” Nino looks up from the phone, folding his hands in front of him and leaning on the now sparkling clean counter. “He just needs to sort things out, that’s all. He misses it. He misses us. He misses things. That’s just how it is.”

“And I couldn’t be there.”

“No one could. He needs to do this on his own.”

Aiba puts his phone on the counter and they both stare at it for several more long seconds.

“One more round?” Nino finally offers as much as breaks the silence.

Aiba lets out a heavy sigh before he takes his phone and puts it back on his pocket. “Sure. Why not? Perhaps make it strong this time.”

“I’m not going to walk you back home if you’re skunk drunk.” Nino puts two new short glasses between them nonetheless.

“Just one glass,” Aiba says, already staring longingly on the glasses. “Nightcap, remember?”

Nino rolls his eyes but goes to the back of the bar to get his best whiskey; it’s safe to assume it’s going to a long night.

*

As May whizzes through, Aiba deals with the overwhelming early summer tourists. True to the words—or mostly because he isn’t going to be persuaded otherwise by Nino, Aiba keeps on the meeting regular and effective. During the last few years, the festival has grown into not only a regular event but also added to the calendar of town website. The festival preparation isn’t actually complicated; that is if one does not consider the weekly meetings, the long checklists and Aiba’s dedication as complication. The town meeting continues to be held every Thursday night, facilitating various people from across the island for free dinner and place to meet.

Jun once gives a short impromptu visit, some time in the middle of June. Aiba doesn’t even have the chance to meet the man as Jun went directly to his mother’s house and back on the boat to Atami in the afternoon. The only trace of his visit is the jar of _daidai_ marmalade Nino gave him that night, saying Jun left this and asked him to give his regard to Aiba’s mother.

July passes in a blink, or a few, if Aiba’s counting the day religiously by putting a large calendar so he could check through the whole month counts. Nino doesn’t appear to care but doing summer cleaning in the middle of hot July Sunday and asking Aiba to help are indications that Nino is definitely up for the September festival.

Sho calls Aiba several times as the month turns August. All of those calls are involving complete report of success in booking airplane tickets for him and Ohno. Nino joins the call one day, sharing the speaker, as they both excitedly tells Sho about Akko-san visit and makes him promise not to breathe a word to Jun.

Ohno’s picture messages begin to come in the end of August, ranging from the picture of his battered sofa to the only small pan he has on his kitchen to the door of his apartment. Aiba doesn’t reply even if they are coming nearly in daily basis. He welcomes the pictures and he’s sure that Ohno knows that his not replying wasn’t telling something is not right, but it is Aiba’s way of listening to Ohno.

The last picture, sent on the first day of September, is one with Ohno’s left hand on his low table—or that much Aiba could make. Again, he doesn’t reply but as the time draws nearer, he too could not wait till mid-September.

*

“This felt impossibly good,” Jun says.

Wild late afternoon breeze hits them as they settles on the porch steps of the scuba shops. The surfing boards have been cleaned and stuffed on its original place on the back of the shop. Jun has come straight to the shop in the morning and demands Aiba to accompany him to surf right away. Aiba’s mother glanced one stern look over Jun before welcoming him with a smile, rushing Aiba out of the shop after she one-sidedly arranged the shop schedule. They spent the whole afternoon, nearly forgetting sunblock, exploring the secluded place of the shore, repeatedly swimming away from the beach in hope of catching just the right wave at the right time. Afterward, Aiba suggested for them to take quick showers on the shop before hitting for Nino’s bar for some refreshment but then Jun insisted to stay outdoors and called Nino for a delivery instead.

So there they are, lounging in front of Aiba’s shop, enjoying the early evening ocean view of sunset. Aiba even brings out few cans of beer he keeps on the shop fridge. Waiting for Nino to come with the delivery—Jun was the one making the call and Aiba was chuckling all the time hearing the banter he missed when Jun wasn’t around to be difficult with Nino—they takes their time sipping their cold beers.

Aiba sighs contently. It has been a good workout to run around the beach with Jun, swimming back and forth and hefting the board back. “I haven’t been done it for a long while. We should do it more often. I miss the wind and the wave, too.”

“You’re too busy dealing with what’s under the water, you’re going to forget what it’s like to ride the wave.”

“You’re the one to say,” Aiba says, with a laugh.

Jun appears to be in good spirit even after a long day. “I’m too relaxed and thoroughly sunburned to come up with a sharp retort,” he says. “And Nino’s going to be here any minute with the food. I should save my energy.”

And as if it was prompted, Nino comes toward them with his delivery bike. Jun merrily waves at him as Aiba stands up to help unloading the food, which unfortunately isn’t much, two lunch boxes Nino put on a plastic dangling on the handle.

Aiba takes the plastic, giving Nino a chance to lean his bike on the porch somewhere, and passes Jun a box.

Jun thanks him while quickly unwraps the plastic and opens the box to find messy side dishes around lumps of white rice. “Why are we getting leftover? Can you at least prepare something decent for us?”

Nino takes a seat in the middle of the two and fans his face with a small fan he takes out from his back pocket. “If you pay up for your meal, I might. You did say, ‘Bring us food! Now!’ It didn’t sound like you’re going to pay so I had to make adjustment. I have a business to run after all, can’t afford to start feeding moneyless hungry people like you.”

“See if you ever going to be treated well and proper when you’re stopping by to my hotel.” Jun takes the chopstick and starts digging in on his food.

“It’s not your hotel, so shut it.” Nino says, passing wooden chopsticks to Aiba. “And I’d rather die in a lonesome than to hop on a boat that will take me through hell ride just to go to your fancy hotel.”

Aiba too begins to take a bite. Albeit the presentation, the katsu sauce is excellent as ever. “You know, I’d pay the fare just to hear about the details on you visiting Matsujun’s hotel. It’d be worth the story, all that money.”

“Oh, look who’s talking.” Nino rolls his eyes as his hand slaps Aiba’s. It doesn’t stop the unpacking of food. He takes the mayonnaise packet from Aiba’s lunch box and passes it to Jun. “Use it for your own flight to Tokyo. Why would you bother to pay an Atami trip for me?”

“You on the other hand, Aiba-chan, unlike this jerk right here, are welcome to stay on my hotel anytime. I’d get you a discount,” Jun sets the mayonnaise to the side. “Don’t you have pickles?”

“Pfft. Employee discount only gets you a standard room,” Nino says. “You need pay for pickles.”

“Unless you’re some star, there’s no way you’re sneaking up into a room. Not that I haven’t been into one of them. All those pretty linens and soft colors, they are fricking gorgeous.” Jun says, before continues dreamily with his chopstick hanging on the air. “It’s sad to say this every year, but Nino, you cheapskate as ever.”

“You’re the one to talk, sneaky employee,” Nino says, leaning on the back of the steps, watching his friends digging in their food with a satisfied smile. “I’ll take the compliment gladly.”

“Well, I can brag about my work for once. And it wasn’t a compliment, not at all. A complaint. Yeah. More like a complaint,” Jun replies before stopping himself to close his eyes and savor the flavor. “This sauce is good.”

“Then, I would not tell the story of how Akko-san came to the bar one night, asking for whiskey on the rocks.”

“She did not,” Jun says, with a clear surprise in his voice. Once again, his chopsticks are hanging on the air. “You’re fucking kidding me. You’re fucking kidding me because you hate my complaints.”

“She did too.” Nino’s wicked smile spreads slowly across his face. “I’m not fucking kidding you even if I hate your complaints.”

Jun turns to Aiba, who’s been listening absently to their bickering for confirmation, full focus on his lunch box. “Why the hell such megastar visit a small dingy bar in Izu-Oshima?”

“Because.” Nino keeps his head high, holding a smug tightly.

Aiba swallows and then shrugs. His focus on the small chunk of potato salad is unwavering. “Sorry, Matsujun, but I was there in the small dingy bar when it happened. It was definitely a hazy night but she was definitely Akko-san. All scary persona and all, with her bodyguards.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all about it when it happened?” Jun turns back to Nino, before clutching Nino’s sleeve and giving it a tug. “Please, by all that’s holy, tell me you had a signature? Or at least had the brain and guts to ask for a photo? Or knowing you, a candid grainy snapshot.”

“Mind your lunch box.” Nino laughs. “You think so low of me.”

“So you did.”

“Of course I did. I know how you adore her like no other.” Nino turns with a smirk back to Jun. “Want to come over to my room tonight so you can see all the pictures I’d taken for you?”

“Is that a cheap invitation?” Jun frowns at Nino. “Do you think I’m going to fall for it?

“It sounds like an invitation for a private nightcap. The sex kind,” Aiba wiggles his eyebrows—who are they kidding anyway? It’s gotta be the sex kind.

Nino wiggles his eyebrow right back. “Gutter mind.”

“I might be tempted.” Unfazed by Aiba’s remark, Jun seems to consider the option. “Let me finish this food, down few more cans of beer and then we can start talking.”

Aiba turns to his side and rolls his eyes at the sight of Jun and Nino ignoring him happily, both pretending to be in deep thought as they finish their food and enjoying the afternoon ocean view. “Just remember, children, you all need to be present in Municipal Park by 8AM or I’m going to hunt you all down. I’d even drag you by the hair to the park if necessary.”

Jun and Nino respond in unison. “Killjoy.”

*

It’s already few minutes from emerging dawn but Ohno doesn’t hit the bed like usual. He takes a slow turn and looks around on his small loft scattered with his packed belongings. He keeps on telling himself to think through of this but he couldn’t get anything else rather than the urge to pack. Contemplating, sighing, trying to do something a person does when he’s about to part with one part of life. In the midst of everything, the only thing that is clear in his mind is that he’s ready to come back home, where he belongs, come back to Aiba-chan, if the man still wants him.

He hasn’t slept properly for almost a week. The last canvas has been demanding to be completed. But three hours ago, after he lavishly applied the last stroke, he went straight to his bedroom and packed his suitcase.

When he’s done, he checks the time, one and a half hour before Sho is coming to pick him up. He takes a long hot shower, makes sure all his works are within easy reach for Yamada-kun, and then goes down to the lobby even with another 30 minutes to spare.

He sends a text to Yamada-kun, telling him to use the spare key to log his work and that he’ll be out of reach for a while. A long while, Ohno thinks. His gaze turns to his large suitcase; it’s his first suitcase, the one he brought from the island, the one Jun gave him for his farewell party, just before he went to Tokyo. It’d hold enough for a while, a long while.

Sho calls him precisely at 6 AM when Ohno was starting to doze off right there on the row of empty lobby chair. He grunts into the receiver, hanging up without a word and heading to the door. He heaves his suitcase with difficulty to the taxi’s trunk before climbing in to find Sho in similar dishevelled state and suddenly feel so much warmer.

“Chofu Airport, please,” Sho says to the driver. The taxi goes on the drive, leaving the narrow small road of Ohno’s neighbourhood and heading to the freeway. Sho yawns big before asking, “Had breakfast yet?’

Ohno just slumps closer to Sho, aiming for the shoulder, and leans closer.

“Me neither. We’ll get something at the airport. I need coffee, cups of them.”

Ohno hums something and then they keep the silence all the way to the airport.

*

“Do you want anything other than bread?” Sho turns to ask him. “I’m going to get another coffee.”

Ohno looks up from his daze as he pecks over his warm bread. “No thanks. I’m fine, Sho-kun.”

Sho makes a short trip to the counter to get his refill. Ohno now takes a good look of his surrounding. Several people are cluttering the breakfast stands, but other than that the airport is fairly empty. He’s never seen Chofu airport in its crowded moment after all; all the time he went there it was because Sho insisted to take the plane instead of wasting half a day by boat to reach the island. Since Sho will be the one who takes care of the itinerary, Ohno is more than glad to leave the matter to the man.

With a large cup on his hand, Sho takes his seat back. He sighs in pleasure on another gulp of coffee before noticing that Ohno is still trying to eat his bread. “Sorry, but they don’t have anything else,” he says, pointing at the bread on Ohno’s hand.

“Huh?” Ohno says. “Oh. It’s not that. It’s good bread, it surely is. I just not—“

“What?”

“Not really hungry.”

“Well, Satoshi-kun from the look of you, you must have missed dinner or several meals before that.”

“Sho-kun—“

“No. Don’t give me that pout. I understand that you might have something more important, work that needs to be done. But you’re with me now and we’re going home. I’m definitely not going to let you pass out at the airport arrival gate and receive the wrath of Aiba-chan _and_ your mother for letting that happen while you’re with me.”

“Always so chirpy in the morning.” Ohno grimaces in pain and amusement.

Sho ignores the mumbles and continues while he’s ahead, something that he has wanted to ask since he saw Ohno walking out the apartment building to get into the taxi. “And what’s with the big suitcase? What are you packing? Don’t tell me you’re planning to stay more that just a few days.”

The grimace turns into a frozen expression—one Sho knows could happen, as he had witnessed one or two fits of Ohno’s clamming up to everyone in the past. Sho isn’t expecting it after all, but the gallons of coffee he has consumed proven to be a good balance. “Satoshi-kun?”

Ohno puts his bread on the plate before pushing it further to the middle of their table. He leans back against his chair, head pulled down, and mumbles his answer. “Can we wait till tonight? Everyone’s going to be there, and then we all can talk.”

“Okay.” Sho doesn’t prod further, even if all he wanted to hear is a solid answer. It’s always serious with Ohno, and some space is what he could give for now. He slides the bread plate back to Ohno’s line of sight. “I’ll wait till tonight to grill you with questions if you have a proper breakfast now.”

“Thanks.” Ohno lifts his gaze and meet Sho’s eyes, still puffy and red from lack of sleep but clear and focus gaze nonetheless. He picks up the bread again and starts to take another small bite, concentrating on the bread since he knows that it’s the only way to keep Sho from prodding. At least he has till tonight to clear the confusion—even if it’s going to be a lot harder, he’s sure of it, because the others will be there.

Sho seems satisfied with Ohno’s back munching his breakfast even at a slow pace, and decides to change the subject entirely, back to their small talks. “We do have a time to kill. I must admit that we’re early but I think if we don't’ take the highway so early in the morning, we’re going to be trapped in the early rush hour.”

Ohno hums and finds that there’s a filling in the middle of the bread.

“I’m actually even more excited this year. Aiba-chan has been so detailed with preparation and we’re going to have a new cotton candy machine.” A huge smile is plastered on Sho’s face; and seeing that, Ohno relaxes considerably. “Can you imagine that? _New_ cotton candy machine! No more jammed paddle, no more disappointed kids because I kept on taking long break in the middle of the long queue, and no more excessive scrubbing at the end of the day.”

Ohno hums again, part encouragement to Sho to keep talking and other part as sign that he’s enjoying the bread. Win-win situation for Sho.

“And I’m having another day off. I don’t have to go back till Tuesday,” Sho says with a happy sigh. “I don’t think I have a Monday off in forever. Bliss!”

Ohno gives a thumb up; now he knows that there’s a cream inside the bread and it’s unexpectedly quite good. Sho takes his expression as an improvement of mood and continues to tell Ohno more about his plan for said day-offs.

*

So much for a grand opening ceremony by the mayor; by the time everything is ready it is already after 9AM. Aiba is everywhere, rounding up everyone, welcoming the late participants, and sending glares to both Nino and Jun for lounging back on their front of Nino’s sorry-but-we-are-not-yet-open-go-away goldfish and yakisoba stand and fanning their sour faces with the town printed uchiwas.

“You guys,” Aiba says with much exasperation. “Could you at least look busy or do something?”

“Do what?” Jun squints his eyes under his battered cap. “It’s not even noon yet. No one wants any yakisoba at this hour. I don’t even need to heat up the pan yet. And you should take a break, Aiba-chan. Everything won’t start until 11, and here you are already soaked in sweat,” he adds, gesturing the chair next to him for Aiba and shrugging when Aiba only glared at him in response.

“Plus you dragged us here so early in the morning.” Nino says, still not letting the grudge go.

“So that you’re both here and helping around with preparation,” Aiba replies.

“Everything seems to work just fine,” Jun says. “Oh, look Kaneda-san is calling you.”

“I’m not sharing the milk buns I’m going to grab,” Aiba says, waving his hand toward her before throwing one last glance to both Jun and Nino, “your loss.”

They watch Aiba jogging toward the end row of the stall and meeting Kaneda-san. Without any sign of enthusiasm, they continue to stay under the large stall umbrella, safely away from the blaring sunshine.

“He’s getting more and more passionate about this festival each year,” Jun says. “And it’s great. But I am on vacation so there’s no way I’m going to do anything else aside from cooking yakisoba for the masses. That’s my limit.”

Nino says, moving his right shoe into the shade of the umbrella. “There’s something special this year. I just don’t know what it is yet. But Aiba-chan has been acting weird with the text messages, which I bet, he received from Oh-chan.”

“Sho-kun told me that Ohno is also acting strange these days,” Jun says. “Not weird-normal weird, but weirder-than-normal weird.”

Nino moves his fan harder. “I don’t usually trust any information from that busy Sakurai, but it’s one thing to consider.”

“So there might be some surprises tonight,” Jun says. “And I’m all about surprises but the day is still long and the heat is already unbearable.”

Nino aims a very sweet smile at him before asking, “Would you like a cup of ice coffee then?”

Jun turns to Nino slowly with awe in his face. “Seriously? You had the right mind to prepare it for us this morning?”

“Aiba-chan certainly did.”

Jun’s eyes are already sparkling with want. “Are we going to steal Aiba-chan’s ice coffee?”

“Straight from the tumbler. Remember he’s the one who dragged us out this morning, bossing us around to move those large crates and now busy being chummy with Kaneda-san while consuming delicious milk bun after milk bun to his heart content.”

“And if I have to guess, he’ll be forgetting the whereabouts of his ice coffee? Or at least we can always deny any accusation by smiling our best innocent smiles?”

“Jun-kun, I know I love you for a reason.” Nino makes a grand gesture of standing up and holding his hand toward Jun.

“Stop talking, Ninomiya,” Jun says with a sweet smile, ignoring the offered hand completely. “Let’s go forth with some caffeine thievery.”

*

“You boys have fun with the festival. I’d stop by later in the afternoon!”

“We will! Thank you for the ride and see you later, Oda-san,” Sho says, waving his hand over his shoulder toward the bus driver as he jumps off the bus. Ohno drags his large suitcase to the exit and turns to nod at the man.

The bus drives on by, leaving the two of them under the glaring sun in front of the municipal park parking lot. From the look of it, almost everyone has turned up. Several families are making their ways to the center of attraction. Banners and flags are welcoming them; it definitely is that time of the year again.

Sho takes in the view and smiles. “It’s good to see that it doesn’t change every year.”

Ohno only squints and shields his eyes from the sun. “You say that every year.”

“Doesn’t make it less true,” Sho says. “Shall we?”

Ohno nods, dragging the large suitcase ahead of Sho and heads down toward madness.

They pass few town people, exchanging greetings, getting warm welcome, and slowly making their way to their stalls at the end of the path. Ohno waves to his mother who’s busy with the other ladies on their joint fruit stall—she knows he’d be home tonight so a small wave is enough for them both. Sho finds his sister on the high school science lab stall and promises her that he’d stop by later.

They reach their stalls, near the end of the path, to find Jun and Nino bickering over, what it seems to be cabbages and noodles.

Sho was about to say a big hello when he sees the sparkling shaved-ice machine on the next table and makes a beeline toward it instead. “Oh my god, you’re a true beauty!”

Nino comes from the next stall. “Ah, finally you’re here. What took you so long?”

“We’re here!” Ohno says.

“Oh-chan, people have been demanding for shaved ice. Go grab that place from Aiba-chan. He’s helpless. And you, cotton-candy guy, go have fun with the new machine and let Aiba go back to doing the scary welcome smiles at the front counter.”

“Aiba-chan, they’re here!”

“They are?” Aiba comes out from around back, all beaming and all, and Ohno doesn’t resist the temptation to run and hug that beaming bundle of Aiba. He strolls and leans up to drop a hug. Aiba’s arm goes around him. His eyes are confused but his hands go around Ohno’s waist, holding on.

The other three witness this with a question in their eyes. Both Jun and Nino turn to Sho who shrugs clueless all the same.

Questions can wait till later.

*

Jun manages to drag Nino from the bar after the festivities, with Sho hefting out the cooler filled with cold beers behind them. Aiba is taking as many milk buns he could ‘steal’ from Kaneda-san’s leftover basket and Ohno is glad for the odd combination.

The drive to the beach is short and uneventful. Sandals and shoes are soon forgotten in Aiba’s car and their feet find comfort in the feel of sand under them. The night offers warmth, ensconcing them in familiarity and closeness as they settle down their usual spot at the end of the busy day.

"You do realize that it's near midnight and no one is here," Nino says, eyeing the makeshift tarp they brought in haste from Aiba’s shop with worry.

Sho chuckles. “Isn’t that the point of all this?”

"I want to spend the night here, sleeping on the sand and welcoming the morning." Aiba stretches his arms wide and settles at the center of the tarp.

"That's what you said, when was that, five years ago?" Jun puts down the cooler in front of them and sits next to Aiba as he takes out one can after another and hands them to everyone.

"And we fell into your trick." Sho takes a seat next to Jun, receiving a can of beer. “Ah, thank you.”

"Sho-kun ended up having a terrible cold for a week," Jun says, as he passes beer cans to Aiba and Ohno.

Ohno nods his thank you to Jun and pats the space next to him for Nino. "And Nino also had to go to the doctor the next day."

"But it was fun," Aiba says. “Drifted to sleep right here out in the open and just… be together.”

"Your being sentimental is annoying," Nino says, finally settling beside Ohno. “And you all are taking too much space. I’m left with nothing here.”

"Your being annoying _is_ sentimental," Aiba replies, as he scoots closer to Jun to give more room for Nino.

Then, the only sounds around them are the sound of waves breaking on the shore, the rustling of their feet against the tarp, and the content sighs from each of them.

Sho reminds them. “We need to do the toast.”

“For another year gone by,” Aiba says, nodding to Sho before nudging Jun softly with his elbow. “And, Matsujun, I believe you need to tell the others about something before the toast.”

Ohno turns to Jun with a question. “Oh. Something important?”

Jun tries to shrug but he is already beaming. “Nothing big but I have been promoted. You are now talking to a General Manager of a certain fancy resort.”

Nino scoots closer to Ohno, bumping him to grab Jun’s right hand to shake it. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Congratulation! General Manager is very cool,” Sho says, offering a hand to Jun in response, and shaking his left hand. “And that’s why you need to be back in the morning?”

Jun rolls his eyes with a smile. “At least this year it’s not the late ferry. Still tomorrow’s going to be very early.”

“But we’re going to have another BBQ party,” Aiba says. “Can you exercise power or some sort already, so they can manage a weekend without you?”

“I am already spending few nice days here. I had my annual fix,” Jun laughs at the suggestion and glances slightly to Nino.

Nino mutters his suggestion as he reluctantly lets Jun’s hand go but still pressing close to Ohno.

“Well, I’m staying here till Tuesday.” Sho reaches for another milk bun from the Kaneda-san plastic off Aiba’s hand. “They finally approved my leave this summer. I’m going to dive to my heart content. Right, Aiba-chan?”

“I have your reservation since three months ago, Sho-chan. There’s nothing but a wicked typhoon that could prevent you from going diving tomorrow.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“I think I’m going to stay here for a while,” Ohno says softly, eyes fixed on his can. “A long while, I think.”

Nino scoots away a little bit, trying to read Ohno’s face. And the others are all turning to him with questions on their face. But here at the beach, here with his friends, Ohno feels like he finally can say what’s on his mind. It hasn't been an easy decision. He has been thinking about this for almost a year, and now when he said it, here at the beach, here with his friends, it feels real, _and_ right. “Or to put it bluntly, I’m moving back here.”

Sho puts down his can and shifts a little bit to face Ohno. “Was it your parents?”

“No. It’s not them,” Ohno says. “I just wanted to go back. I have given the idea a thought all year. I’m going to stay. I don’t know how long but for now I’m going to stay.”

“That’d explain the large suitcase,” Jun says. He puts down his can of beer slowly before turning to Ohno. “What are you going to do here then?”

“I don’t know yet. All I know I want to be here,” Ohno says, keeping his gaze back at the end of the dark horizon.

Aiba reaches for Ohno’s hand and gives it a squeeze. “Then you should.”

“Oh-chan, are you sure?” Nino asks.

“I think I am.” Ohno squeezes Aiba’s hand in return. It feels warm and comfortable.

“We’re not twenty something anymore,” Jun says, reaching for his beer can again and realizing it almost empty.

“That we’re not,” Sho says as he promptly reaches for another beer can, offering it to Jun. “But to a certain degree, I have to say Aiba-chan had a point.”

“I did?”

“Yes, you did,” Sho says, before turning to Ohno with an encouraging smile. “If Satoshi-kun wants to stay here then he should.”

“Are you going to keep on painting?” Aiba turns to Ohno, keeping their hands twined.

Nino adds, “Or finally switch to full time fishing?”

Ohno chuckles at the thought. Perhaps it’s going to be the right time to push through with his old hobby. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

“Nino, do not give him ideas.” Sho rolls his eyes. “And how about your stuff in Tokyo?”

“I don’t have many after all. I gave several of them to my friends, left them for my agent to take care of. They were confused but they took them. I will have the rest of the paintings shipped back to my parents’ house. I don’t have much stuff at the end.”

“Okay, that sounds planned,” Sho says, “which is good because it’d be bad to leave things unresolved there when you’re planning to move back here.”

“I heard Matsuda-san is currently looking for an assistant after Go-chan quitted,” Nino says.

“Ninomiya.” This time it is Jun who reaches to slap Nino’s hand off. “Do _not_ give him ideas.”

“I’m just saying,” Nino says. “No need to get violent, Jun-kun.”

“You’re asking for it.”

Hearing Sho sighs as the’s one caught in the midfire and Aiba’s hand still holding his, Ohno knows that his decision of moving back to the island is no longer an issue.

It’s done, settled, and accepted.

On the night like this, guilt grips him for bringing up such serious issue to the table, but the others were taking his explanation in a stride. For that, for his friends, for Aiba-chan, he’s grateful.

When the bicker gradually settled down, they find themselves again in the silence of night and the wind from the sea. Nothing is left to say. No story is left untold. No one, finally, is alone.

Jun reminds them of the one thing they haven’t done. “Let’s now have the toast then,” he says raising his beer can.

“For another year gone by,” Aiba says with a firm voice as he raises his can. Another year has gone by indeed, and here they are, finally home together.

Joining Ohno, Nino also reminds them of other thing. “Also for Jun-kun’s promotion.”

“And for Satoshi-kun coming back to the island,” Sho adds, clinking his can with the closest one’s, Jun’s.

Ohno completes the circle they’ve formed. “For another year gone by.”

*

“You know, I’m beginning to think that you’re constantly doing this,” Ohno says, realizing that he and Aiba are taking the same route they took last year when they walked back to Aiba’s place. Aiba decides to leave his car by the shop again, solely because they’ve been drinking and it’s a nice night. “Did you do this often now? Leaving your car on places across the island just because you’re too drunk to drive.”

“Hmm, mostly I leave my car in front of Nino’s place.” Aiba beams as he tries to hop on the pavement. “And walking is nice. Nicer since you’re here. I’m not that drunk, but it’s nicer to walk.”

“You sound drunk enough to me,” Ohno says softly as they continue, keeping the pace slow, with Aiba swaying a little bit once in a while.

For the first time in the last few months, Ohno feels his mind clear and focused. Perhaps it was good beer and company, but he’s not questioning, not at all. He’s finally here, back on the island, and currently walking back to Aiba’s place. It feels very familiar and Ohno is hoping to keep doing this for a while.

A long while.

“Ah.” One thought comes rearing back to his mind. “Cotton candy.”

Aiba turns briefly to him before continue tiptoeing the small pavement. “What’s that?”

“I think it was cotton candy, the thing that’s reminding me of home,” Ohno says, brows frowned as he searches for words. “The memory of it was so vivid. I can hear you smiling, and Matsujun’s complaining, and Sho’s trying to do things right, and Nino’s laughing, and I know I need to go back and just be here.”

“I don’t know what Sho is going to think about what you’ve just said now.” Aiba laughs. “And before I forget, I wanted to tell you that we have Akko-san visiting the few months back.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, Nino had the greatest time teasing Matsujun about it.”

“He must be ecstatic.”

“He was. Nino was literally begging her for a signature and a photo. What he told Jun later that it was a piece of cake was just a front.”

Ohno smiles at another familiar feeling. Just like he and Aiba, Nino and Jun are still the same. “It’s so like them.”

“Yeah, so like them.” Aiba sighs, adding more to his agreement as if he reads Ohno’s thought perfectly. He stops walking and tugs Ohno’s sleeve to stop the man. “I don’t want us to be like them though. I want us to be just us.”

“Aiba-chan—“

Gone were the drunken flush, all Ohno could see is Aiba with his serious eyes. “I don’t want us to pretend that it’s nothing between us. I don’t want that. I want you to know that it’s difficult to live without you near. It pains me to pay for the phone bill, but you’re there in Tokyo, inching closer to your dream and I’d bear that pain, I’d paid that bill anytime, ten times larger, so you’d get that. Please don’t misunderstand.”

“You saying that is just making me feeling even guiltier.”

“Well you should,” Aiba says, sighing. “I feel like you should. But then again, you shouldn’t. It’s my choice and you are free to make your own. Whatever your choice is, I’m going to be here, rooting for the best, for you.”

“Whatever it is?”

“Yes, whatever your choice would be. If you want to shimmer that talent by wallowing here on this island for the rest of your life, then I’d be here, just by the end the road. But if you want to chase your dream, going back to Tokyo or other places unimaginable to me right now, I’d be here all the same, just by the end of the road, and a phone call away.”

“It’s just not easy,” Ohno says, taking a step closer so he could bump shoulders with Aiba and stand still on the edge of the beach.

Aiba takes a step closer, making them pressed by their sides. “It never is, isn’t it?”

Ohno nods, and unlike other times when he felt the emptiness of the promise, this time he finds himself smiling, content, of having someone he could direct his promise to. And just when he finds it hard to say anything else than a simple _okay_ , without turning to him, Aiba reaches for his hand and holds on.

“Our pace? Together?”

Ohno twines their warm hands, and makes the simple promise to Aiba, to the starry sky, to the island, and to himself. “Okay.”

***


End file.
